The Law of the Bookman
by Bianca-Takamori
Summary: An emergency transmission alerted the tenants at the European Branch of the Black Order, an exorcist misinformed about an assignment had gotten badly injured. Lavi and Allen are sent to retrieve the fallen exorcist. While she's recovering, something sparks between her and Lavi, but will anything ever come of it? Will the law of the Bookman interfere? LaviXOC
1. Chapter 1

A/N: First D-Gray Man Fan Fiction, I hope it measures up to the fans standards. This is a Lavi X OC just to clarify.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters, they rightfully belong to Katsura Hoshino. Therefore stating that this Fan Fiction is purely for the enjoyment of the fans.

Happy reading~! R&R

**Edited!**

…

A blissfully peaceful afternoon, the sun descending lower and lower towards the horizon as the day went on. The residents of the European Branch of the Black order awaiting an assignment. The science division employees were working on paperwork that a certain bespectacled man should have taken care of months ago. Despite the warning, the chief still waves it off and pretends to talk on the phone.

Meanwhile, a white haired boy was sitting at a table in the cafeteria, eating an amount of food that would feed the whole of the order for a month. Next to him, sat a young woman with two long pigtails tied high on either side of her head. On the opposite side of the table, sat a cheery young man with fiery red hair and striking green eyes, one being covered by an eye patch. Across the room, sat an agitated swordsman. His cold stare, burning holes in the back of the former mentioned's head.

The 'peace' was broken however, by a loud alarming noise.

"Emergency transmission! Emergency transmission!" A voice came from Chief Komui Lee's office. Lenalee Lee and her two male companions, Allen Walker and Lavi, quickly stood up and ran towards the source of the alert.

When they arrived, most of the occupants of the order were already present.

A four-way, holographic screen was flashing in the middle of the room, a loud, uncomfortable, static sound emitted from it.

"Is anyone there? Hello?" A frantic voice was barely heard through the piercing static noise.

"Chief Komui reporting, what is your status?" Komui asked as calmly as he could. The picture began to still and the face of an unknown finder could be seen, but every few seconds the picture would haze over through the unstable connection.

"Is anyone there?" The finder asked again, the bad connection making him unable to hear Komui.

"Yes, we can hear you, explain your situation," Komui explained and the look on the finders face told them that he had heard him.

"We were misinformed about the Akuma, we were told that there were a few of them attacking the town every so often, but instead we were ambushed," he explained and the screen went fuzzy before returning back to how it was before.  
"There's a level two invading the town," he explained and small gasps around the room were heard.

"Lady Arianna and I are doing the best we can in the injured state we are in, but I don't think Arianna can hold on for much longer," he added further. The connection started to break up again.

"What is your location?" Komui asked, while the others in the room paying attention to every word spoken.

"Whichurch, Shropshire, west of Manchester station. Plea-," a blood-curdling scream was heard from the finder's end of the line and everyone's eyes widened in shock.

The finder turned to his left and saw Arianna fall forward, as an Akuma struck her again. Her blood coating the ground and the metallic snicker of a level two Akuma was heard.

"Arianna!" The finder screamed and the line went dead.

Everyone back at the order was shocked and speechless. Komui pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

"Alright, I will contact the nearest medical unit and send immediate back up, this might be dangerous so, any volunteers?" he asked, turning towards the Exorcists in the room.

"I'll go," Lavi said, interrupting him and stepping forward.

"I'll go too," Allen said, looking between Lavi and Komui. Komui sighed and nodded in approval, and in a flash they darted out of the room.

The ran down the hallways of the order and made their way down to the boats to get to the train station as fast as they could and in a matter of minutes they were on the train headed for Manchester station.

"Hey Lavi, we have a couple hours before we get to Manchester, do you mind telling me who Arianna is?" Allen asked, curiosity lacing his voice as he leaned forward. The somewhat solemn and depressed expression of Lavi's faded, and a smile appeared across his face.

"Well, she's an exorcist from the Asian Branch of the Black Order," Lavi started, stopping to stare out the window. He had a far away look in his eye for a moment before returning to meet Allen's eyes. His intrigued stare told Lavi to continue.

"I met her a few years ago, the old panda and I were on an assignment to find all the record keepers around Manchester, to put a file together ourselves. When we got to a small town it started pouring down with rain. We didn't know anyone and we had nowhere to go, but as we were looking around for an inn, we bumped into her." Lavi said and a small smile crept onto Lavi's face.

"Her short black hair was ruffled and her blue eyes were curious. She asked if we were travelers and if we needed a place to stay. She lived alone and she had a spare room that we could use and we didn't ask questions." Lavi explained and Allen still had a confused look on his face.

"So, you didn't know she was an accommodator then?" Allen asked, sitting back.

"I'm getting to that." Lavi answered with a smirk.

"Gramps and I never told her our names, back then, he didn't trust anyone." Then he laughed.  
"Although, I did sneakily tell her to call me Lavi. We stayed there for a few days, we would go out during the day, searching for the records and at night, Arianna would cook for us and we'd sleep. Well, according to gramps anyway." He said with a sly grin and Allen felt unsure.

"I snuck into Arianna's room and we would tell stories, or we would sneak out of her apartment and go for a midnight walk. Well, when it wasn't raining," Lavi said with a light laugh.

"It was so much fun, but we had to leave and Arianna couldn't come. We couldn't tell her why and it broke my heart." He said overdramatically.  
"She walked with us to the edge of the town and we said our goodbyes. When she hugged me, it felt like she didn't want to let go. When our back turned and we started walking, and that's when it happened." Lavi said and fell silent for a moment.

"You're going to stop the story there?!" Allen almost screamed. Then he blushed and regained his composure. Lavi laughed.

"Man, I knew I was a good story teller, but I never thought you'd get hooked on it so easily," he said and laughed again. Allen sighed.

"Just continue already," he said with a small smile.

"Well we started walking to the next town and I heard Arianna yell, and before we knew it, an Akuma exploded above us. Gramps and I turned around and we saw Arianna holding this long silver spear with a white lotus flower just before the blade. She looked as shocked as we were." Lavi said, leaning back and putting his hands behind his head.

"As for how she became an exorcist, I wanted her to travel with us. I mean come on, she was cute! Having a cute girl by my side all day everyday would have been the best!" Lavi said smiling to himself and Allen face palmed.

"But no, Gramps would let me have one moment of happiness. He contacted the nearest finder and told them to escort Arianna to the Asian Branch of the Black Order, saying that the Chan family would be the best environment for her to train in." He said and Allen seemed deep in thought.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Allen asked, Lavi put his arms beside him and looked out the window.

"A few weeks ago, she visited the European branch to have a meeting with Komui, but we only got to see each other for a few minutes before she was sent on another assignment." He said sadly but then a smile spread across his face and his eye lit up.  
"Let me tell you though, she had changed. Her eyes still the same deep blue they were, and her hair still short and black, but damn her body!" He began to say and a small amount of blood leaked out of his nose.

"I was waiting for that," Allen muttered.

The trip was rather quiet after that, when they arrived at the train station, they were met with a finder.

"I'm Christopher," the finder said.

"Please follow me," he said and he ran off, followed by Lavi and Allen.

"How is she?" Lavi asked. The finder stayed quiet for a moment before answering.

"She's," he paused, trying to find the right words.

"Not doing so well," was all he could manage to say.

No one said anything after that. No one had anything to say.

They ran to a clearing, in the middle of a small dense forest just outside the town. Finder's bodies were scattered on the crimson stained ground. As they continued through the forest, another finder ran towards them.

"She hasn't improved," he said.

"Her breathing is shaky and uneven, and her pulse is weak, she might not have much time if we don't get her proper medical care," He added and led the way.

When they stopped they were met with an unpleasant scene before them. A girl, who looked to be seventeen, was lying unconscious, surrounded in her own blood. Her short black hair sprawled across the ground matted with blood. Her eyes clenched shut and her eyebrows knitted together in a painful expression, and her black exorcist uniform almost torn to shreds. She had two finders trying to attend to her wounds to the best of their ability.

Lavi's expression changed from worried to absolute shock.

"Arianna!" he called and ran over to her. Allen and Christopher walked behind him. Lavi fell to his knees and rested her head on his lap. Stroking the hair out of her face.

Lavi didn't think it would be this bad. He didn't think that he would react this way, but when he saw her form, soaked in crimson, he felt the colour drain from his face, and he lost his composure.

Allen felt sorry for his friend; he didn't want him to suffer like he did when he lost Mana.

"We need to get her back to the order, wherever those Akuma went, they aren't anywhere near here," Allen said; using his left eye to try and detect where the Akuma might have went.

"We've done everything we can and she isn't improving." One of the finders said, who had been kneeling beside Arianna.

"Let's bring her back then," Lavi said, being careful not to hurt her further as he picked her up and headed back to the train station.

…

**EDIT: Just minor touch-ups here and there.**

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, please review~!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Chapter two~! Thank you so much for the favourites and alerts, you guys are amazing~!

If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters. All rights go to Hoshino Katsura, the rightful owner of D-Gray Man. Therefore stating that this Fan Fiction is purely for the enjoyment of the fans.

Happy reading~! R&R

…

The train back to headquarters felt like it was taking longer than usual, but in truth, time was just going too slow for Lavi. Arianna's wounds had been tended to, but it didn't seem to help her condition. Her breathing hitched every now and then and her pained expression never left her face.

Allen glanced over at Lavi, noticing the concerned and tense look as he stared into his lap, where Arianna's head lay. Just by seeing his expression, Allen could feel the pain his friend was feeling.

Lavi brought his hand up to Arianna's face and softly brushed the hair away from her eyes and stroking her cheek. Her face though flushed, felt cold to the touch, and was getting ever more so, as time went on.

"You'll be fine," Lavi said quietly, as if he were trying to reassure himself rather than her.

Allen was not only concerned for Arianna but for Lavi also, he had never seen him look so helpless before.

Lavi was always the one to cheer people up, with his lively and cheerful attitude, the way he would purposefully annoy Kanda, to get a reaction by braiding his hair, or calling him Yu, then flirting with every pretty girl he saw and making stupid jokes that weren't that funny. He wasn't acting like himself, this wasn't the Lavi that Allen had seen and had come to know.

A tear slid down Arianna's cheek and Lavi wiped it away with his thumb. She then mumbled something undistinguishable. Then she said it louder.

"Please don't," she said, her voice harsh but soft. More tears started streaming.

"Please don't make me go," she said and she was out again. Lavi distressed, looked up at Allen, tears threatening to fall. Just by those few words alone.

…

Throughout the train ride, medical examiners would come to check on Arianna, to check on her breathing and her blood loss. They would never say anything, but there faces showed more than any word could ever express.

Uncertainty, and that's what hurt Lavi the most.

…

When they arrived at the order, they were met with the medical team, who quickly put Arianna on a stretcher and carried her to the infirmary in the medical ward. As they hastily moved away, light footsteps were heard. Lenalee cautiously moved her way towards the two anxious looking exorcists.

"How is she?" she asked hesitantly, as if afraid of the answer. However, she did not receive an answer. Allen sighed deeply and looked away, while Lavi walked off in the direction of the medical ward.

Lenalee had known Arianna for a short time while she stayed at the order. Being almost the same age, they befriended each other easily. From that short time, Lenalee considered her to be like a big sister. She was kind and caring, always putting others safety before herself, always asking others if they were okay and that if they ever needed anything, she would be there.

That was something about her that hadn't changed; she always looked out for people, even people she didn't know. That night when she met Lavi and Bookman, she was being herself, giving strangers a place to stay because they had nowhere else to go. Even if she were the one who needed the most help, she would always help others before herself, no matter what.

That's just the kind of person she was.

A few seconds of silence passed between Lenalee and Allen, before Lavi's distraught voice was heard.

"What do you mean I'm not allowed to see her!?" he said. Allen and Lenalee ran towards the sound of his voice, finding him up in the face of a medical attendant. His face showed both irritation and anguish. The attendant pushed his titanium rimmed glasses further up the bridge of his nose as he explained further in a monotone voice.

"Please calm down, Lady Arianna is in a crucial state, we need to tend to her serious wounds and its our policy that no one other than members of the medical staff can enter within the critical hours of examination, I'm sorry." The man said, then walked into the room behind him and closed the door abruptly. Lenalee rested a hand on Lavi's shoulder.

"You should get some rest," Lenalee said quietly. He shrugged off her hand and turned to her, the pain evident in his eyes and laced his voice.

"I'm going to stay here until I'm allowed to see her," he said softly and sat down on a bench nearby. Lenalee looked at Allen for reassurance. She didn't know what to do; both Lenalee and Allen didn't know what they could do for their friend, who was obviously in pain.

"It's been a long day," he said with a small smile.

"We'll check up on him in the morning," he said and turned towards the direction of his room. Lenalee took one last look at Lavi, and then followed.

…

In the morning, the birds were heard chirping and the bright rays of sun were shining through the windows. Lenalee served the coffee out to all the residents of the black order as per usual, making her way to where she last saw Lavi; he was still there, just like he said he would be. The hallway was dark, the shades drawn, which made Lavi seem more down.

She saw him hunched over; his elbows leant on his knees, as his tired eyes concentrated on the floor. His headband around his neck and his fiery hair fell over his face. He looked up as she walked over, she handed him a coffee that he was in desperate need of.

"Thanks," he said with a tired smile.

Lenalee walked over to one of the windows and opened it slightly, letting a little light in.

After a few moments of Lenalee standing, she sat down next to Lavi on the bench and spoke up.

"Heard anything?" she asked, hoping to hear some good news.

"Nothing yet," he said, sipping his coffee. Lenalee placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. She didn't know what to say, comforting was Arianna's expertise. She then sighed and stood up and without saying another word, she walked away, her faint footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

Lavi stared into the cup of deep brown liquid, deep in his own thoughts.

His mind wandered to when he last met with Arianna, the day that she visited the order to meet with Komui.

Krory, Lenalee and himself were sitting in the cafeteria, as always. Allen had been on a mission with Kanda at the time. They had gotten back from an assignment a few days prior. It was mid-morning and nothing had been eventful. Lavi was telling one of his many stories of encounters with the female population while Lenalee and Krory just went along with it.

In the distance, two sets of footsteps could be heard, echoing through the halls. Lavi's story was cut short by the familiar sound of chief Komui calling for his sister.

"Lenalee~!" he called, with a smile gracing his features, his eyes taking the form of hearts as he reached their table. Next to him stood a young woman, with short black hair that sat above her shoulders and a side fringe, her shining dark blue eyes sparkled as she looked to who was there, and her body made the boys blush. What was more was that she wore the same exorcist uniform as Lenalee.

Komui cleared his throat and collected himself.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Arianna Lockhart, one of the newest Exorcists at the Asian Branch. She will be staying here until this afternoon, please make her feel welcome." He said and turned to her.

"Thank you, pleasure to meet you all," she said in a small voice, her eyes studying the faces of the people near her.

Lenalee looked over to Krory, and then turned to Lavi as if expecting him to act on his instincts. However, he didn't. Lavi's expression was somewhat unreadable, and then as if coming back to reality, Lavi spoke.

"Arianna?" he said, and as soon as he did, Arianna wore a wide smile on her face.

Lavi was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of a door opening. His head snapped up in an instant. Medical examiners walked out and the same attendant that had told him not to enter greeted him with a small smile. Said attendant pushed his titanium rimmed glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Lavi's expression turned to that of both hope and anxiety.

"She's sleeping, but she's responding to the treatment. You may enter if you wish." He said and moved aside. Lavi smiled and stood up, walking through the door and making his way over to the bed where Arianna was resting, the medical examiner shut the door and walked away. Lavi's feeling of fatigue faded away at the sight of her sleeping form.

She was covered in bandages, her legs, her arms, her neck and her chest. Lavi blushed as he realized he had been staring at her chest for longer than necessary. He did notice one thing though; her expression seemed relaxed, which put him at ease. He made his way over and sat in the chair next to the bed. He grasped her hand lightly in his and smiled. Her hand was warm, compared to before, where she was only getting colder and colder. He caressed her hand with his thumb, feeling reassured, that she will be okay, if not now, then eventually.

…

A few hours later, knowing that Arianna was okay, Lavi had left and went to find a book that he could read while staying in Arianna's room. Bookman was more than pleased to hear that, as he handed a pile of books to the 'bookman in training'. In the time he was away from Arianna, both Lenalee and Allen had checked on her, Allen comforting Lenalee as she saw the sight of her friend.

When Lavi returned, Arianna had moved. She was now laying on her side, holding the white pillow close to her, her expression unreadable.

He walked over and placed the books down on the floor next to him. He lightly grasped her hand again like before, but Lavi didn't expect her to respond. She squeezed his hand, her undistinguishable expression still present on her face. A tear escaped her eye and glided down her cheek and she grasped Lavi's hand tighter. Lavi didn't know how to respond.

Then her eyes fluttered open slightly.

"Arianna?" Lavi said, leaning closer. She squinted her eyes so that they would focus.

"L-Lavi?" she said, barely a whisper. Lavi broke out into a huge grin and squeezed her hand. Now knowing she wasn't alone anymore, a lazy, toothy smile then spread across Arianna's features.

…

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the second chapter, please review~!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Chapter three~!

If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters. Therefore stating that this Fan Fiction is purely for the enjoyment of the fans.

Happy reading~! R&R

…

The medical ward at headquarters was dull and plain, the barren walls were eggshell white, the clean and sterile room desperately trying to look like someone's bedroom but lacking personality. The tile floor cold and institutionalised. The sunlight peeked through the half shut blinds. Arianna blinked away tears as her deep blue eyes met vibrant green. She noticed that it appeared Lavi hadn't slept all night, and it worried her.

"Lavi," she said, more clearly now.  
"Where am I?" she asked and tried to push herself into a sitting position but fell back down, wincing in pain, her muscles tired from the spasms they endured. Lavi moved closer to her and put his arms around her waist. She tensed momentarily, and then relaxed against him.

"Put your arms around me," he said softly, trusting Lavi, she moved her arms over his shoulders, around his neck.  
"Hold on," he said and slowly pulled her up into a sitting position. He pulled away slowly, not really wanting to let go, but knowing that he had to. He sat back down on the chair beside the bed.  
"You're back at the European Branch of the Black Order. Do you remember what happened?" he asked and Arianna looked down at herself and slowly nodded.

She fell silent for a moment, her mind racing through the events that transpired. Picturing what might of and quite possibly happened. Her mind wandered of its own accord, regardless of her feelings. She thought of life and death, how fast it can be taken away.

"I- I-," she started to say but her voice disobeyed her. Lavi held her hand again, not really knowing what was happening.  
"I-, didn't want to leave," she said and brought her arm up to cover her eyes. The muscles in her arm screaming in protest, Lavi's eye widened at what she said. Her shoulders started shaking. She only wanted to protect them, but she didn't want to go.  
"I didn't want to leave this world, Lavi," she said desperately holding in her tears, trying to be stronger.

Lavi stood up and sat on the bed facing her and pulled her into a warm hug.

"Ari, you're fine now. Please, stop crying, you're stronger than this," Lavi said, holding her close, but at the same time, feeling as if she might break under his touch. Arianna wrapped her arms around him, though her arms were tired.  
"I'm so glad you're okay," he added, which made her smile and cease her tears.  
"I missed you," he said and made Arianna blush a deep shade of crimson. Lavi pulled away to reveal Arianna's blushing face. Then he softly laughed.  
"You're so cute Ari~!" Lavi said with a cheesy grin. Trying to get her mind off the bad things.

"Good to see you're awake," another voice said from the doorway. A bespectacled man walked forward, the chief of the European branch of the Black Order.

"Komui," Lavi said, moving slightly away from Arianna, feeling somewhat awkward with another person in the room.

"Thank you for everything," Arianna said bowing her head slightly.

"Our top priority at the moment is to get you well, you are welcome to stay for as long as you like," Komui said with a smile on his face.  
"We have organized a room you can stay in if you wish to move out of the infirmary," he added, and then turned to walk away.  
"Someone will be in to check on you in a few hours," he said and walked out the door, softly shutting it behind him.

"You should rest, your injuries will heal faster," Lavi said, getting off the bed, he was going to pick up the stack of books and head to the library, but a hand grasping his made him halt.

"Can you please stay? Just for a little longer?" Arianna said. Lavi's face showed a sincere smile.

"Sure," he said and sat back down, she shut her eyes and held his hand close to her.

…

"How's she doing?" Allen asked as Lavi sat down across from him in the cafeteria.

"She's fine, she's asleep," he said with a distant smile on his face, as if a lingering memory replayed in his mind. Allen didn't question it though, he was just happy to see Lavi getting back to his normal self.

"That girl's too caring for her own good," Lavi said quietly.

…

As Lavi had left the infirmary, he was met with a solemn looking finder. Fiddling nervously with his coat, his dark hair covering one eye as he looked down.

"Are you alright?" Lavi asked him.

"I only wished to see Lady Arianna," he said and looked up, his grey eyes focusing on the exorcist in front of him, filled to the brim with guilt.

"If it wasn't for Lady Arianna's sacrifice, I wouldn't be here," he explained. Lavi went wide eyed for a moment. Glancing back towards Arianna's room then back to the finder in front of him.

"What happened?" Lavi asked. The finder gestured to the bench nearest to them, they both sat down.

"My name's Marshall, one of the finders that were assigned to accompany Lady Arianna on her assignment in Manchester. The night we encountered the Akuma was exhausting and extensive. We had only accumulated minor injuries when the level two's showed up." Marshall said, his eyes filling with an unclear emotion.

"This thing was unexplainable, the strength and abilities unfathomable. I was helping move the citizens away from the clearing but I was being targeted. Before it could hit me, without concern for what might happen to her, Arianna moved in front of me, too fast to protect herself, only to protect me." He continued.

"She screamed and I turned around, seeing her in the worst state I'd seen anyone in, but she still wore a smile on her face and I'll never forget what she said to me," he said and looked up to meet Lavi's eye.

"Through her smile, she said to me, 'Thank goodness, you're okay,' and I feel so guilty that she did that for me. Finders are replaceable, I don't understand," Marshall said, looking at the floor. Lavi patted him on the back.

"She would have done that, no matter who it was." Lavi said and Marshall looked up at him.  
"Arianna has a caring nature, even if it meant her death, she would have done it. Regardless of the consequences, she will always put others safety before her own." Lavi continued.  
"She has always been like that." He added. Marshall then stood up.

"Thank you for that," Marshall said, walking away, feeling less guilty but still feeling some blame had to land on him in some way. Lavi was smiling to himself, finally knowing how and why she ended up in the state she's in.

…

"I want to go check on her when she wakes up again," Lavi said to the white haired boy, currently stuffing his face with a monstrous amount of food.

"She woke up?" Allen asked through the food in his mouth. Lavi's smile widened.

"Oh yeah, forgot to tell you that," he said rubbing the back of his neck and laughing nervously.

"Did she say anything?" Allen asked and the mountains of food were now plates wiped clean in piles in front of him.

Lavi then got a look on his face that Allen immediately recognized.

"You know what? It doesn't matter, lets just go find something to do," Allen said standing up; Lavi soon followed him out of the cafeteria.  
"Wait, don't you have a load of records to go through that the bookman assigned you?" Allen asked as they walked. Lavi almost fell to the floor and fainted.

"History records are so boring~! Let's mess with Yu~!" Lavi said skipping away, meanwhile on his mind, was a completely different topic.

"B-But he only just got back from a mission a f-few hours ago!" Allen stuttered, a horrified look present on his face.

"He'll be even grumpier than usual!" Allen tried to reason with him but his mind was already made up.

"All the more fun~!" Lavi said with a cocky grin and Allen heaved a deep sigh.

"There's no stopping him," Allen said quietly.

"Chopped hair Yu~!" Lavi called loudly as he skipped through the halls.

…

A gasp and loud exasperated breathing was heard in a desolate white room in the medical ward.

Arianna awoke from her nightmare with a start, her forehead drenched with sweat and her fists clenched. She attempted to sit up, but her whole form screamed in protest, so she lay back down again.

Arianna didn't regret what she did for the finder, she was happy to know that he was unharmed. The price she had to pay however, had restricted her instincts to protect the others around her and for that, she felt saddened.

Her nightmare replayed in her mind, and it would not obey her wishes to leave. The image of the Akuma before her mind faded to the black abyss.

On her mission, it was only Arianna and two finders originally. There weren't any other Exorcists near enough to assist in the battle.

The level two Akuma that they were up against had a special ability. Its ability was to form whips from his wrists and send electric currents through them. Arianna saw the Akuma target Marshall and her instincts kicked in.

Lavi used to tease her and call them her 'motherly instincts'. She ran as fast as she could to get in front of him, he was currently helping a little boy escape without harm.

Arianna didn't have time to dodge the attack herself and the Akuma wrapped the whip around her neck. She tried to cut the whip with her Artemis spear, but to no avail. Electric currents were sent through her whole body, every muscle going wild with agony.

And she screamed.

Three knocks were heard coming from the girl's room. Her head snapped up in the direction of the sound.

"Arianna? Can I come in?" a soft feminine voice asked from behind the door.

"Y-Yes," Arianna answered. The heavy door opened and in peered Lenalee, her gaze softened as eyes fell on Arianna. Lenalee walked over and embraced her friend in a soft hug. Arianna wrapped her arms around her.

"I'm glad to see your okay," Lenalee said holding a little tighter.  
"How are you feeling?" she asked, letting go and sitting beside her on the bed.

"As good as I can be," she replied with a half smile, that she couldn't quite complete. Her muscles were weak from the electric currant being coursed through repeatedly.

"I brought you this," Lenalee said, bringing a bag in front of her and pulling out a new exorcist uniform.  
"We had them make you a new uniform, so you have something to wear," she said with a smile, holding up the uniform and handing it to Arianna.

"Thank you very much," Arianna said, accepting the uniform and feeling the familiar material under her fingertips.

"Any time Arianna, please call through the golem if you need anything," she said gesturing to the bat-like creature hovering above the bed. Arianna nodded. Lenalee waved and exited, having other work to attend to.

Arianna looked towards the door longingly and heaved a deep sigh.

…

A/N: Hope you enjoyed and if you have time please review~!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Chapter four~!

Remember, if you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters. Therefore stating that this Fan Fiction is purely for the enjoyment of the fans.

Happy reading~! R&R

…

Afternoon at the Black Order; Jerry was working hard in the kitchen to prepare enough food for the white haired exorcist with a parasitic type innocence. Lavi and Lenalee were sitting across from Allen, looking at him nervously. Komui was misusing the intercom to call for his beloved sister. The expert swordsman, Kanda, was yet again staring a deep hole into the back of Lavi's head for his antics earlier.

Not too far away, in the medical ward, a young doctor in a white coat, with deep green eyes and ash brown hair, was examining Arianna's condition. It had now been a few days since the incident and it was today, that the doctor would tell her if she was allowed to leave. Arianna sat on the edge of the bed, wearing her new exorcist uniform, her toes barely reaching the floor. Most of her bandages covered by the uniform. The medical examiner continued with his questions, the last one he asked, brought a smile to his face, as he knew it would make her happy.

"Would you like to try and walk?" he asked, his kind, forest green eyes studying her features. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Yes, I would," she said, sounding confident in her words. The doctor moved so he was standing in front of her.

"I want you to hold onto me at first, if you feel like you can do it on your own, feel free to let go, okay?" he asked with a smile. She nodded and he held out his hands, gently guiding her to stand up on her feet. She felt unstable and swayed a bit.

"I've got you," the doctor said reassuringly, Arianna nodded.

With that, she took a small step, but waited a moment before moving to take another. A smile started forming on her lips as she continued to take more steps. She looked up to the doctor with a wide smile, he returned it and let go of her hands and she continued her way towards the door. She turned around and faced the doctor.

"Thank you very much," she said walking back over.

"You're very welcome," he said and Arianna gave him a short hug.

"Now, now," he said with an embarrassed laugh and a blush present across his face.

"Just take it easy alright?" he said and Arianna nodded.  
"Also, in a few weeks time, when the muscles in your limbs have healed more, you can begin training to build them up again," he said and she smiled.

"Does this mean I can walk around now?" Arianna asked.

"I'll accompany you until you get to where you want to go now, then yes, you can," he said and she smiled again. They both walked over to the door.

"Where is it that you'd like to go?" he asked.

"The cafeteria," she said and headed in that direction. The doctor laughed and followed her.

…

The cafeteria was relatively quiet. Ten residents at the most were there, being the afternoon, not many people would be there. Allen, Lenalee and Lavi were still there. Allen looked up from his mountain of food and saw a familiar face coming through the entrance.

"Hey, is that-?" Allen said through his food, looking towards the entrance of the cafeteria. Lavi and Lenalee turned around and saw Arianna clinging to the sleeve of a medical resident.

Without any hesitation, Lavi hastily scrambled out of his seat and ran over to Arianna. He engulfed her in a heartwarming embrace, almost making her fall over.

"Hey Lavi," she said, holding onto him tightly. The doctor standing beside them croaked his throat awkwardly and straightened out his coat.

"You're in safe hands now, if you need anything, come see me," he said and turned to walk away, but a hand grabbed the sleeve of his coat and when he turned back, he saw Arianna bowing slightly before him.

"Thank you very much," she said and stood up straight again with a sincere smile on her face, the doctor returned her smile and left.

Arianna then turned back around to see Lavi with a flashy smile; Allen and Lenalee were also walking over. Lenalee engulfed Arianna in a tight hug.

"How are you?" Lenalee asked as she let go. Arianna smiled.

"Better," she replied simply.

"Allen," she said turning to the white haired boy, catching him off guard.

"I just want to say thank you again," she said and also gave him a hug. Lavi was about to say something, but a slightly agitated Bookman that hit him over the head, had cut him off.

"Ouch," Lavi exasperated and brought a hand up to his now aching head.

"What did you do that for you old panda!" Lavi said aggressively, glaring at the short, old man.

He didn't say anything; he mumbled something slightly audible and walked away. Lavi shrugged his shoulders.

"What was that about?" Allen asked the redhead. Lavi moved his hands to behind his head and sighed.

"I guess the old panda wants me to catch up on record keeping, I've been slacking off a little lately," he said sounding troubled, then a cheeky grin played on his lips.

"Ari~! Why don't you come with me? Just like old times," he said walking over to her side.

Memories of late night bedtime stories ran through Arianna's mind and she laughed.

"Sure, why not?" she said and Lavi looked even happier. He moved an arm around her waist.

"Let's go~! See you guys later~!" Lavi said to Allen and Lenalee, steering Arianna in the direction of the library. When they had walked far enough away, Lavi's tone of voice turned somewhat serious.

"Are you really feeling better?" he asked, their pace slowing.

"Yeah," she said quietly, her head hanging low.

"You know, you used to tell me everything that was going through your head, so why stop now? You can trust me," he said with a smile, lifting her chin so she could look him in the eye.

"I know," she said softly.

"But, you shouldn't concern yourself, I am feeling better," she added averting her gaze, his hand still cupping her chin.

Arianna likes to help anyone with his or her problems but when it comes to her own, she shuts herself out.

"Please talk to me," Lavi said now coming to a stop in the middle of an empty hallway.

"Lavi, please, I'm fine," she replied, still not meeting his questioning gaze.

"You don't need to worry, okay?" she said looking up to him with an empty smile. Lavi stood about twenty centimeters taller than her, standing closer to her, studying her face. He studied her smile with a solemn look on his face. Then he sighed.

"Let's get going or the panda's going to shoot me," he said and stepped away from her. Arianna stood still for a moment before following.

…

A few hours later, in the depths of the library, Lavi was quietly reading while the raven haired girl that accompanied him, peacefully slept on his shoulder. He didn't realize at first, he merely thought she wanted to see what he was reading, but after a few moments, he could hear her breathing deepen and even out. He listened to her soft mumbles of sweet nothings as she fell deeper into her subconscious state.

As Lavi finished the work he had to do, he looked to the young woman resting on his shoulder and smiled.

"Ari?" he whispered.  
"Arianna?" he whispered slightly louder, brushing the hair out of her face. She flinched at his touch, which shocked him. Then her arms moved up to wrap around his arm tightly. Her eyes scrunched and her eyebrows furrowed.  
"Hey, Arianna?" he said, sounding louder and more urgent than before, dropping the book he held in his hand. Her eyes fluttered open slightly.

"Hmm?" she murmured, her grip loosening and her head lifted away from Lavi's shoulder.

"You all right?" he asked, not sure how to react.

"I'm fine," she answered, still sounding tired from her short slumber.

"Hold on," Lavi said and Arianna looked startled for a moment, before Lavi picked her up 'bridal style'. She was going to protest, but found she had no energy to at that moment; instead, she enjoyed the feeling of Lavi's strong arms securely around her.  
"Hey, don't fall asleep again, you need to tell me where your room is," Lavi said with a smile, walking out of the library.

"I don't know where it is," Arianna said simply, Lavi stopped in his tracks.

"What do you mean you don't know?!" he asked, an 'I cant believe it' look spread across his face.

"I've only been in the hospital room, I haven't had a chance to find out yet," she said, leaning against him.

"Oh yeah," he said with a nervous laugh and started walking again.  
"I guess you'll just have to sleep in my bed," Lavi said through a smirk and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Arianna playfully slapped his chest.  
"You slept through dinner, you're not hungry are you?" he asked, now serious.

"Not really," she said then frowned.  
"You know, you don't have to carry me, I can walk," she said looking up at him. Then he laughed.

"But I want to~!" he said and laughed.  
"Besides, when am I going to have this chance again?" he looked down at her and smiled when he noticed the hint of a blush on her cheeks.  
"Ari~! You look so cute~!" he teased and she buried her face against him to he could no longer see the red tint on her face.

…

Neither of them had realized how late it had actually been until Lavi walked by a window and saw the stars shimmering in the ocean that is the deep blue sky. The moon shining high, finding its place between the specks of light as night drew on.

A few moments later, they arrived at Lavi's door. Lavi gently let Arianna down and they walked inside. He closed the door softly behind them. Lavi was thankful that Bookman was going to be in the library all night, otherwise it could have been awkward.

Arianna stood close to him, not sure where to go.

"Come on," he whispered, taking her hands in his and pulling her towards his bed. He crawled on and pulled her on after him.  
"Just like when we were younger," he whispered, laying down and gestured for her to come over. Arianna hesitantly rested her head on his chest, and then as she heard the rhythm of his heart, she relaxed.

She remembered the times that Lavi had snuck into her room late at night, claiming to have had a nightmare, but Arianna knew better. She would let him sleep in her bed, so the 'monsters' wouldn't get to him. She always used to say; "I won't let anyone hurt you while I'm here with you". She smiled as she remembered the time he told her stories as they lay next to each other on the bed.

"Night Lavi," she whispered.

"Night Arianna," he whispered back, putting an arm around her and they peacefully fell asleep, just like they used to so many years ago.

…

A/N: Hope you enjoyed reading, please review~!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Chapter five~!

Remember: If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters. Therefore stating that this Fan Fiction is purely for the enjoyment of the fans.

Sorry this one's a bit late...

Happy reading~! R&R

...

The next morning it was cold, rounds of steaming hot coffee were being delivered around the different departments at the European Branch of the Black Order. Lenalee had shown Arianna to her room earlier, but now she was talking quietly with Reever and Allen about what goes on in the science division and she was becoming quite interested in their line of work.

Arianna had expected to spend more time with Lavi, but he seemed to be acting different. After she had slept in his room, he said they would meet up after studying with Bookman for a while, but when she went to see him, he averted his eyes and walked away, without saying a word. He seemed so cold and distant and she wanted to know why.

At first she thought that he might have just been tired from all the work he had to finish the night before and when she met up with Allen, she asked if he had said anything, but he hadn't.

For now, she was distracting her train of thought with Komui's antics. She laughed at the poor excuses he came up with just to get out of paper work, whether it be pretending to talk on the phone or saying that he had other business to take care of that was more important.

Allen introduced Arianna to the whole science department, who she got along with. Arianna is an active listener and loves to learn more, she's either helping people or has her nose in a book of some kind, but she had never had the experience of learning the science that revolves around the Black Order.

She liked Reever; he was a really nice guy in her opinion. He explained things in a way that were both interesting and informative, also slipping in a few not too funny jokes, but Allen and Arianna laughed anyway.

Arianna felt more at home there than she did at the Asian Branch, she didn't mind Lou Fa and Bak, but the liveliness of Chief Komui, and the fun Allen and the others have is something she didn't experience because she was mostly sent on back to back missions. Although, once she had fully recovered from her injuries, the likelihood of her being able to stay was minimal.

"So Arianna, where are you originally from?" Reever asked, distracting himself from the workload for a brief moment.

"Well, I lived in a small town by Auschwitz, in Germany with my parents when I was younger, but when my parents disappeared I moved to the town of Whichurch near Manchester in the United Kingdom with my grandmother," she said, remembering her welcoming home back in Germany, with her mother and father.

"Germany huh? I guess I can see that," Reever commented. Arianna laughed lightly.

"My mother was from the outskirts of the United Kingdom, then, in her late teens she moved to Germany and met my father," she said and smiled sweetly.

"Oh yeah, Arianna?" Allen said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Yes Allen?" she answered. Allen pulled out a box from behind him and handed it to her. She lifted her eyebrow questioningly, but carefully took the box from him.

"We found it with you, so we kept it safe," Allen said smiling. Arianna opened the box and saw a small metallic pole, about twenty centimeters long, on the end of each side, were white crosses. She gently picked it up and a smile spread across her face.

"You cant be an exorcist without your weapon," Allen added. The Arianna put the pole back in the box and gave Allen a hug in gratitude.

"Thank you so much," Arianna said, still holding onto him.

"My pleasure," Allen said sweetly, failing to hide his blush as she let go of him.

"I want to thank you again, for coming to save me. It meant a lot. You hadn't even met me and you were willing to come along," she said with a small smile.

"Well, from what Lavi told me, you would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed," Allen said, almost immediately regretting the mention of his name as he saw her smile fade.

"Um, I'm getting a little hungry, do you want to come to the cafeteria with me?" Allen asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Sure," she said and smiled.  
"See you later Reever," she said standing up and waving. He smiled and waved back. Allen walked out, followed soon after by Arianna.

She never did have a chance to meet Allen before her incident, but now that she had, she was glad. He was a sweet young man with good intentions and always looked out for his friends, it was something that Arianna could relate to and something she found admirable.

As they walked through the corridors, Arianna wanted to ask Allen something but she couldn't get herself to ask, finally she worked up the courage as they neared the cafeteria.

"Uh, the doctor had told me that I'd be able to train here while I'm recovering, do you think you'd consider helping me with that?" Arianna asked, nervously fiddling with the hem of her skirt. Allen looked over to her surprised.

"Of course!" he said excitedly. Making Arianna smile a toothy grin.

…

Lavi wandered the halls aimlessly trying to take his mind off the thing he wanted to do, or rather, the person he wanted to see. His mind repeated the conversation he had with Bookman earlier that morning. He knew that he had been leaving his record keeping to the last minute, but at least he got it done eventually. He thought the old man was over reacting just a little to confront him about his work schedule.

When he did arrive at the meeting place with Bookman, he wasn't nervous at all. It was a secluded room in the back of the library. Lavi tried to swindle his way out of being lectured about work, but it didn't work at all. Bookman wasn't interested in that topic at that moment. He was more interested in why he was spending so much time with Arianna instead of doing his work.

"Do you not remember what it means to be a descendant of the Bookman?!" The old man yelled at him.

"I know Gramps, calm down," Lavi tried to reason with him, but Bookman wouldn't hear a word of it.

"A Bookman exists to record the hidden history that will be soon forgotten in the future. These occurrences are to be recorded in an unbiased manner. Have you forgotten that Bookmen are to be bystanders at all times!" he yelled and heaved a deep sigh.

"It is irrational and illogical to form personal relationships. I'd like for you to not become any more attached to Miss Arianna," he said and Lavi's eyes widened.

"What? Are you kidding me? What does she have to do with anything?" Lavi asked, becoming agitated.

"Look at yourself! I understand she is a part of our past; she gave us a place to stay and that is all! Have you forgotten your duties as a Bookman?!" his voice rose again. Lavi sighed, he knew when he was beat.

"I know," he said in a low voice. There was a long, dead silence that filled the air. After a few moments, Bookman spoke up again.

"Don't let human emotions get in the way of your true intentions as a descendant of the Bookman," he said lastly, leaving the room.

Lavi sat alone in the room for a few minutes before leaving. He had said he would meet up with Arianna after that, but now that Bookman is on his case, he decided it would be best is he cut her loose, only socialize if necessary. He had walked past her and said nothing; he couldn't explain how wrong it felt not to say something. He made his way to his room.

He shook his head to get away the feeling, Bookman's words just kept replaying.

"Stop!" he yelled once he got inside and shut the door behind him.

He looked over to his bed; he still hadn't made it from when he and Arianna had slept there. Then he thought of what Arianna might be thinking at that moment. She had just experienced something horrible and had just gotten out of hospital, now he is abandoning her?

His mind wandered to when he last met with Arianna, the day that she visited the order to meet with Komui. He had just recognized her and she smiled.

…

"Arianna?" he had said, and as soon as he did, Arianna wore a wide smile on her face.

"It's been a long time, Lavi," she said and Lavi scrambled to his feet and hugged her.

"Well~! I see you two have already met, I'll leave you to it," Komui said and left, but not before he waved good bye to his beloved sister.

Lavi and Arianna broke apart, but Lavi kept a firm arm around her waist. Hesitant to let go of her, after letting her go the first time.

"Ari, this is Arystar Krory," gesturing to the tall, vampire looking man, to which he bowed his head.

"And this is the Chief's sister, Lenalee Lee," gesturing to the pretty girl with long twin tails.

"Nice to meet you Arianna, how do you know Lavi?" Lenalee asked.

"We met a while ago-," Arianna started to explain but Lavi cut her off.

"How about we explain it all later?" Lavi asked and Lenalee didn't seem to mind.

"Come with me Ari~!" Lavi said grabbing her hand, dragging her away from the others and out of the cafeteria.

"Lavi, where are we going?" Arianna asked laughing slightly.

"To my room," he said simply, then turning around and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Arianna just laughed.

Once they got back to his room and he shut the door, he pulled her into another hug and twirled her around. Then out of the blue, cupped her face with his hands and gave her a short peck on the lips, her eyes widened and a cheeky smile spread across his face.

"Tell me everything," he had said and she did. It was the most fun he'd had since he had seen her last, Lavi was truly happy.

…

"I know my duties as a Bookman," Lavi whispered to himself.

"I know my duties as a Bookman," he repeated and turned to look at his door longingly.

A long silence passed, as if Lavi's mind was going through a million different questions and answers at once.

"I cant do this to her," he said and ran out of the door.

…

A/N: I will try to upload a new chapter every two weeks for you all~!

Hope you enjoyed reading, please review~!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Chapter six~!

Remember: If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters. Therefore stating that this Fan Fiction is purely for the enjoyment of the fans.

And thank you all so much for the reviews~!

Happy reading~! R&R

…

Lavi ran down the halls of the Black Order as fast as his legs could manage, avoiding the looks of the passerby's. He was beating himself up inside, he couldn't believe that he actually acted that way towards her, just because of something that Bookman had said. He had never done anything different despite what the old man said and it never changed anything before, so why now?

He couldn't believe he lasted as long as he did.

Its not like anything was actually going on anyway, he was still a Bookman.

He ran to the cafeteria where he knew Allen would be. As he thought, Allen was sitting at their usual table with an ungodly amount of food in front of him.

"Hey, Allen?" Lavi said, slowing down to stand in front of him. Allen looked up from his plates of food and swallowed the contents in his mouth.

"Yeah?" he prompted, making Lavi question further.

"Do you know where Arianna is?" he asked and Allen looked down.

"Is there something going on with you two? Arianna was really worried about you this morning," Allen responded, concerned for his friend.

"I did something I'm not proud of and I need to apologise," he said looking at the floor and then he looked at Allen again.

"Do you know where Arianna is?" he repeated and Allen sighed.

"She said she was going to the study hall for some reading, I don't know if she will still be there," Allen answered and Lavi smiled.

"Thanks Allen~!" Lavi said and ran off again. At that moment he really didn't care what Bookman said, either way he was going to get mad again and its not like they actually did anything inappropriate.

Lavi and Arianna saw each other as friends; he didn't know what the Bookman was really on about. So what they hugged sometimes? Friends do that. Don't they?

Lavi was an affectionate person, he liked to hug people, he was caring, that's how he was, that's how Lavi's character was and Bookman can't change that.

So why was it different with Arianna? Was it because she was a girl?

Sure, maybe he clings to her more than anyone else, she just means a lot to him.

Lavi's mind was running wild and he never realized how far away the study hall was from the cafeteria. He slowed down as he got to the large double doors of the study hall. Slightly out of breath he walked through, intently searching for the raven-haired exorcist.

It's not like Arianna and him were dating or anything, although his mind wandered after thinking that thought.

After a minute or two searching the seemingly empty study hall, he spotted her. She was huddled up comfortably on one of the couches, quietly reading a book. Hearing someone near her, she looked up from her book, not expecting to see Lavi there.

"Lavi," she said softly, and gently put her book down next to her, swinging her legs over the edge of the couch.

"Ari," was all Lavi could come to say. He hesitantly made his way over and sat down on the couch beside her. He tried to think of something to say to explain everything, something heartfelt and meaningful, instead he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

"Bookman made me do it!" he said then realized how childish and stupid he sounded. Arianna tried to 'keep her cool' but she couldn't, and let out a laugh.

"W-What?" she said trying to hold in her laughter.

"What I meant was Bookman-," he paused, not knowing what he was allowed to say in front of her.

"I know," she said with a sad smile.

"What?" Lavi said and his eyes widened.

"I had this lingering feeling that he would say something. After you had told me you were a Bookman, all those ears ago, I did a little research on the Bookman clan, it forbids any personal relationships, that you're to be bystanders at all times, as to not interfere or effect the information of the true history," she said looking down, her hands forming fists subconsciously, but she still had a small smile on her face.

"That doesn't excuse my actions though. I mean, come on, we've been through too much for me to act like that. The old panda was just trying to mess with me, and I'm sorry," he apologised. Then Lavi felt a weight on his shoulder; he looked over and saw Arianna resting peacefully on him, with a small smile on her face.

"You're forgiven," she said softly.

"You forgive people too easily Ari," Lavi said with a light laugh.  
"I don't deserve it," he added. He felt something soft against his cheek; Arianna lightly kissed him and gave him a smile. He stared at her perplexed, but she didn't say anything, just rested her head back to its place on Lavi's shoulder.

…

A while later, the pair had left the study hall and went their separate ways.

Lavi went to join up with Allen, and Arianna went to Komui's office to see if there was any way she could help. Which ended with Lenalee almost pulling her out of the office, saying that she shouldn't be doing anything in her condition, all the while, Arianna still asking if she could help. They were now making their way to the private rooms.

"I feel like I'm being a burden on everyone if I'm doing nothing. I can walk now and I'm not in the infirmary anymore, I can just help with the little things," she reasoned. Lenalee wore a smile on her face at Arianna's persistence.  
"Please?" she prompted.

"You're hard to say no to, especially if its helping people," Lenalee sighed.

"Thank you very much," Arianna said smiling.

"I should be thanking you I guess, with more help, things should get done a lot quicker, so that means more leisure time," Lenalee said happily.

"So, when do I start?" Arianna asked eagerly. Lenalee laughed.

"Well, seen as how it's night, you'll start tomorrow," she said with a smile, finally reaching her door.  
"Good night," she said opening her door.

"Good night, Lenalee," Arianna said as she watched Lenalee close the door behind her.

She then walked over o her own room, took a shower and fell asleep as her head hit the pillow.

…

Mid-morning the next day, Lavi was wondering the halls, looking for Arianna. He was dressed in casual wear, a tight fitting, dark blue shirt with the top two buttons undone, tight white trousers and his black boots. He hadn't bothered to put his hair up with his headband, so his hair fell loosely, and he wasn't wearing his scarf, so his neck was exposed.

He had checked the library, the cafeteria and knocked on her door several times, but he hadn't found her. While he was walking back to his room, Lenalee was approaching him, holding the usual tray of coffee.

"Hey, Lenalee~!" Lavi said with a smile on his face. Lenalee returned his smile.

"Hello Lavi, good morning," she said.

"Do you know where Arianna is?" he asked and Lenalee laughed. Lavi seemed puzzled.

"She's in the science division, helping with the paper work, she insisted on helping in some way," she explained.  
"She should be with my brother," she added. So without giving it a second thought, Lavi made his way to the science division.

"Thanks Lenalee~!" he called and she waved.

…

Reever couldn't believe his eyes; Komui was doing work, actual paper work. He wasn't playing any of his usual antics; Arianna had actually got him to do something productive. He was at his desk, signing the papers that should have been done months ago, finally catching up to where he should be. The feeling of seeing the chief work was almost as if the apocalypse had arrived.

Johnny had made Arianna a white coat, so she could be an official 'stand in' for the science division. She deserved one; for getting the chief to actually sit at his desk. She was wearing it over a purple, low cut, V-neck shirt, a pair of black short shorts and a pair of black ballet style shoes.

She was currently sitting on the couch in Komui's office, sorting through the many files and pieces of paper that were on the floor.

Although the chief protested, claiming he had more important things to do, (like keeping an eye on his precious Lenalee), Arianna held his hand and guided him to his desk, persuading him to at least do a little work so the others wouldn't be too stressed. In the end he gave in.

"Here's another one sir," Arianna said, standing up and walking over to the chief's desk. Handing over another letter that he had yet to reply to.

"Thank you," he said in a serious manner, then he put his hands on his cheeks and shook his head.  
"Please stop calling me sir~! You're making me blush~!" He said and Arianna laughed.

"Arianna?" Reever's voice called from the door.

"Yes?" she said, turning to face him.

"Would you mind helping us with something?" he asked.

"Of course, I'll be right there," she replied smiling. She walked away from the chief's desk and walked out the door with Reever.

"So what is it you'd like me to do?" she asked once they had walked out of the chief's office. They were now standing in the middle of the science office; Johnny, Tup and Mr. Russell were also there.

"Please don't leave!" they all said at once. And Arianna had a stunned look on her face.

"Huh?" was all she could come to say, Reever croaked his throat.

"The chief hasn't worked this hard in- well- he's never worked this hard. For some reason you actually got him to do his work and the piles of files and paper are actually decreasing around here," Reever explained.

"And, if he is doing his work, he isn't in his secret lab working on another version of Komlin," Johnny said in a quiet voice.

"Another what?" Arianna asked confused and Reever put a hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me, you don't want to know," he said with a look on his face that said he had experienced something horrible.

Then there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Reever called, and through the doorway, Lavi walked in.

"There you are~! I've been looking all over for you Ari~!" He said with a cute smile on his face.

"Hey Lavi," she said, returning his smile as he walked over to give her a hug.

"You even look good in a lab coat," he complimented and laughed, she just rolled her eyes and smiled.  
"Can I steal her from you?" Lavi asked Reever, but he didn't expect the reaction he got.

"NO!" Everyone in the room shouted. Arianna and Lavi sweat dropped.

"He won't even know I'm gone," Arianna pushed.  
"Just and hour or so, then I'll come back," she reasoned.

"Fine, but if the Chief starts slacking off again I'm coming to find you," Reever sighed in defeat.

"Come with me," Lavi whispered in her ear, pulling off the white coat she was wearing and lead her out the door.

…

A/N: Hope you enjoyed reading, please review~!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Chapter seven~!

Remember: If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to message me.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters. Therefore stating that this Fan Fiction is purely for the enjoyment of the fans.

Also: (You don't have to read this) I just finished watching the last D-Gray Man episode and now I'm sad and I don't know what to do with my life anymore…

Caution: Mild swearing

Happy reading~! R&R

…

Lavi pulled Arianna along, holding her hand and sporting a cheeky smile, through the many hallways of the Black Order. It was a cold but sunny mid morning, the hallways having a cold chill running through them.

"Lavi, where are we going?" Arianna asked laughing softly.

"You'll see," he replied winking at her.

"Where are you? You fucking rabbit!" a deep, masculine voice echoed through the halls.

"Oops, looks like you get to know early," Lavi said, then leaned in close to Arianna's ear.  
"Run," he whispered.

Arianna was about to question, but Lavi pulled her along, her legs getting a workout.

"I can hear you running you little shit!" The voice, now recognizable as Kanda's, yelled, his heavy footsteps heard not far behind the pair.

"So, the reason you took me away from work was to what?" Arianna questioned while running.

"I didn't want to face Yu alone~!" Lavi said with a small laugh.

"Are you serious?" Arianna asked, her eyes bulging and her expression shocked. All he did was laugh.

"I'll kill you! I'll fucking murder you!" Kanda's voice boomed again.

"What exactly did you do?" Arianna asked, panting.

"How about we skip the details? I just, uh, went over the line this time," he semi-explained. And if Lavi said he crossed the line, it must have been bad.

"Hey Lavi, I'm getting a little tired," Arianna said, her muscles aching from the strain, she hadn't done that much running since the accident.

Lavi suddenly stopped, Kanda's loud footsteps nearing them and Arianna started to panic, even though it wasn't her he was after.

"In here," Lavi said, swiftly pulling her into one of the supply closets and shutting the door. It was dark and claustrophobic in there; they had to stand on cleaning supplies and other things on the floor. They were standing so close to one another, Arianna could feel Lavi's breath on her face.

"Wh-," Arianna barely muttered before Lavi covered her mouth with his hand. He leaned closer to her.

"Shhhh," he murmured softly. Arianna tried to slow her breathing as she heard Kanda move closer and closer towards them. Arianna's eyes closed, trying to calm herself down. Kanda's steps were coming closer but then started fading. Arianna let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Lavi heaved a deep sigh, and slowly peeled his hand away from her mouth.

"Dodged a bullet with that one huh?" Lavi whispered, just in case Kanda was close by.  
"At least I'm leaving for an assignment this afternoon or I'd be toast," he added.

"Y-You're leaving?" Arianna asked. Her voice matching that of his whisper.

"We'll just have to make the most of today then," he said with an airy chuckle.  
"Come on, let's get out of here," he said holding her hand and gently guiding her out of the little closet, out into the hallway. He looked every which way, checking for the fuming swordsman and making sure to stay out of his way.

They walked until they got to Arianna's room.

"Ladies first," he said smiling, gesturing for Arianna to enter. She did and Lavi followed soon after. Shutting the door quietly in case a certain swordsman was nearby.

Arianna sat on her bed and Lavi went after her.

"I think I might hide out here until its safe," Lavi said, resting his head on Arianna's lap. She was going to protest, but let it slide. Now that Lavi felt that she was letting him stay, he snuggled in further to get more comfortable. Arianna surprised herself when her hand moved to stroke Lavi's hair, somehow having the urge to do so.

In the peaceful silence, Arianna's mind wandered to when she had first met Lavi, all those years ago.

…

It wasn't much, a kitchen, a dining table, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a small lounge room. The lounge room walls lines with bookcases filled to the brim will all kinds of novels and encyclopedia's. It was odd for someone to live alone in a place like that, especially someone so young.

It was her grandmother's house, it had been left to Arianna's parents, but their current whereabouts where unknown, and so it got left to Arianna.

Rosemarie Lockhart was her grandmother on her father's side. She was a kind hearted old woman.

Arianna and her grandmother were close; she would frequently stay at her house when she was younger. Sometimes it got hard, when her parents were working, living in Germany, and visiting her grandmother in England, but they somehow managed. Her grandmother used to share everything with her; she was more of a mother than a grandmother, she personally thinks that's where she inherited her 'motherly instincts'.

When her grandmother died, she would house travellers and wanderers, feeling the need to do so. She would go out of her way to ask if they needed somewhere to stay.

She didn't mind living alone; she had found it quite pleasant. She would read to herself and cook by herself, she didn't mind it at all, that was until she had run into a short old man, and boy not much older than herself.

She had asked if they needed a place to stay, then she invited them to her house.

At first, she seemed unsure of them, they would sit quietly and straight faced, but then she started asking questions.

"Are you travellers?" she asked, sitting down at the table across from the boy.

"Yes," the old man answered coldly, stunning Arianna. She questioned herself whether she should ask another, but decided against it.

She cooked them dinner and left to go to her room, waiting until they finished, then going back out to retrieve the plates and wash them. The old man muttered a 'thank you' and retreated to their temporary room. The boy remained, Arianna felt a little more comfortable when it was just him. He was sitting on the couch, so she decided to join him.

"What's your name?" she had asked. The boy looked around as if searching for something then turned back to her and smiled.

"You can call me Lavi," he answered and she smiled.

"I'm Arianna, but you can call me Ari if you'd like," she said with a small smile and a hint of a blush.

"That's so cute~!" he said making her blush even worse.

"U-Um, so why are you travelling? If you don't mind me asking," she said fiddling with the hem of her skirt nervously.

"I'm a Bookman in training," he said with a smile. Arianna tilted her head slightly.

"What's a Bookman?" she asked. Lavi brought a hand up to his mouth and started to whisper.

"The old man wouldn't want me to tell you," he said and she felt her heart fall.

"But~!" he said, a cheeky grin played on his lips.

"I'll tell you anyway," he said and Arianna's face brightened. He leaned in close to her face and spoke in a soft whisper.

"A Bookman records and maintains the true history of the world, both good and bad, we document everything. We get to know a lot of what others never will," he explained.

"That sounds so interesting," Arianna said with a delighted smile on her face.

A loud croak of the throat sounded from behind them, Arianna turned around to see the old man, not looking too pleased.

"You have work to do," he said simply and walking back down the hall.

"Guess I should get to it then," Lavi said, sounding somewhat disheartened.

"I'll see you in the morning then?" Arianna said, which caused Lavi to stop mid step. He nodded.

"Night Ari," he said with a smile.

"Good night Lavi," she replied quietly.

…

It was so long ago, but she would never forget it.

Arianna looked down at Lavi, his face relaxed and peaceful. He had fallen asleep, lying on her lap, his soft breaths tickling her skin. She continued to recall the nights Lavi had come into her room late at night.

…

She was in her room, the lamp on the bedside table lit as she read her book. The room was small but neat. The single bed was in the far corner of the room, along side it; a small single drawer table and at the foot of her bed was a chest containing most of her belongings. The walls were painted plain lavender, and there were dark purple curtains draped over the window.

It was the third night Lavi and Bookman had been staying there and then there was a faint knock at her door. She placed her book down and walked over to her door, hesitantly opening it. She was met with the curious green eyes of Lavi.

"L-Lavi, what are you doing?" she asked, almost being embarrassed by being seen in her pajamas.

"The old panda is a little grumpy at me and kicked me out of the room, do you think I'd be able to stay in here with you?" he asked, grabbing her hand as if to persuade her.

"Alright," she said inviting him in and in a flash, he hugged her.

"Thanks Ari~!" he said letting her go and walking over to her bed. Arianna shut her door and walked over to her bed as well.

"Um, do you need anything else?" Arianna asked.

"You sound like such a mother when you say that," Lavi said with a small laugh.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked nervously.

"Not at all," he said with a reassuring smile.  
"Its just cute is all," Lavi said, then he looked over to her bedside table.  
"What are you reading?" he said reaching over but a hand grasped his instead.

"It's just an old story book of my grandmother's," she said, still holding his hand.  
"She always used to read it to me when I went to bed. Old habits die hard I guess," she said with a sad smile.

"It would be nice if Gramps told me a story every now and then. Then again, he's probably not the best story teller," he said with a nervous laugh.

"Do you like being a Bookman?" Arianna asked, and she lied down.

"Hmm," he pondered for a moment, and laid down beside her.  
"Getting to know what no one else knows, is the reason I wanted to become one. The only thing I don't like is all the home work," he said and stuck his tongue out. Arianna giggled.

"I think it would be amazing to know what you know," she said smiling and rolling over to face him.  
"I know it's a big responsibility, but the things you'll get to see will make up for it all," she said with a toothy smile. Then she yawned and snuggled into her pillow.

"It is pretty late, huh?" Lavi asked and Arianna nodded slightly.

Lavi slowly sat up, pulled the blankets over them both and blew out the lamp.

"Night Arianna," he said, while his eyes closed.

"Good night Lavi," she whispered huddling close to him and drifting off to sleep.

…

As Lavi awoke from his pleasant slumber, he had momentarily forgotten where he was until he could feel the smooth skin beneath him and the indistinct feeling of dainty fingers running through his hair.

He looked up to see Arianna smiling sweetly.

"You're awake," she said softly. He then sat up.  
"You should probably go and get ready for that assignment of yours," she added, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"You let me sleep on you, just like that?" he asked, a sneaky smile playing on his lips.

"Its just, I, uh," she stuttered nervously.

"I should do that more often," he said and Arianna blushed.  
"Well I should get going, I'll see you as soon as I get back," he said kissing her on the cheek and getting off of the bed.

"Be safe," she said standing up and embracing him tightly.

…

A/N: This chapter was mainly flashbacks; I hope that wasn't confusing for any of you. It's more of a filler chapter than anything.

As always, hope you enjoyed the chapter and please review~!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Chapter eight~!

Remember: If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to message me.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters. Therefore stating that this Fan Fiction is purely for the enjoyment of the fans.

Also: I'm horrible at writing fight scenes so please forgive me…

**And thank you so much to my regular readers and reviewers! You guys make my day :D**

Happy reading~! R&R

…

It was a stormy afternoon at the Black Order, the halls quiet from lack of tenants.

Weeks had gone by in seemingly the same way as before. Arianna would continue working for the science division, while Lavi and the others went on several assignments searching for innocence.

Arianna had started her training with Allen, although Komui had recommended her train with Kanda. Reason being, Arianna's equipment type innocence is a spear, fighting with a spear in some ways is similar to that of a sword, so Kanda would be the best Exorcist to train with, but Arianna found him unapproachable. Lavi had also volunteered, but never got around to it.

Kanda always seemed to send off a vibe that said that he would kill you where you stood if you were to approach him or say anything wrong.

He had gotten back from a mission a few days prior and seemed to be at ease in the cafeteria. Lavi and Allen were currently on a mission and would be back in a day or so; Arianna took that moment as her chance.

She confidently walked over to the stoic swordsman, deciding to 'break the ice' and finally get in some intense training.

"Kanda," she said softly. She hadn't really spoken to him alone before. He looked up at her in response.  
"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping me with my training?" she asked, on the outside she looked calm, but on the inside she was nervous. He looked down and smirked.

"Tch," he huffed through his smirk. Then he stood up.  
"Whatever, let's see what you've got," he said a low voice. Arianna was shocked when he agreed, but then remembered it was Komui that recommended him. Komui had probably already told him about it before she had approached him.

Arianna followed Kanda to the training room and he unsheathed Mugen. Arianna lifted up her skirt to draw her weapon from its holder on her right thigh.

If anyone were watching that scene, they would have witnessed one of Kanda's eyebrows rise ever so slightly for a fraction of a second.

"Artemis, activate," she said and spun the small pole in both hands in front of her, until it extended to a six-foot long pole, with a white lotus flower before the blade and a white ribbon hanging from the end, gracefully. She swung it in front of her and held it in her right hand beside her.

Kanda attacked. Arianna dodged, he had missed by mere millimeters.

In truth, Kanda didn't expect much of her, over the few weeks she had been at the European Branch; she had grown a reputation to that of a mother. In Kanda's opinion, that meant a weak fighter, but she was proving him wrong.

He thought of her in another way now, still mother-like natured, but one that will do anything to protect what is dearest to her. He wouldn't admit it, but he thought of her as a strong fighter after that.

The two exorcists moved swiftly, trading feints, thrusts and parries with lightning speed, almost impossible to follow. Arianna had no trouble matching Kanda, though loosing her breath.

It had been a few minutes and Arianna was beginning to tire out.

She swung her spear at arms length across her body attempting to slash at Kanda. He dodged without much effort and counter attacked by slashing vertically down in a flash. She jumped out of the way, kneeling down; her breathing was getting deeper and growing harsh.

She stood up ready to fight again but was met with the end of Mugen pointed at her forehead. Her eyes widened and looked at the wielder. Kanda then put Mugen back in its holster and turned away. He went to walk out the door but turned at the last second.

"Tch," he murmured with a smirk.

Arianna fell to the floor, speechless and worn out, her Artemis returning to its original form, only the sound of her erratic breathing filling the desolate training room. She didn't know if his smirk was a good thing, or whether it even meant anything.

After a moment waiting for her breathing to return to normal, Arianna stood up and made her way out of the training room at a slow pace. As she walked, she felt the sweat over her body and decided to go back to her room and take a well deserved shower.

…

Lenalee was currently walking through the halls looking for a certain raven-haired exorcist. Allen and Bookman had arrived back at the order from their assignment. She had been surprised that they had returned earlier than expected. They had told her that Lavi had been flirting with some girl at the train station and then missed his train; the next one didn't come for a few hours. Bookman seemed to be in his trademark grumpy mood but Allen didn't seem too distressed, just tired.

Lenalee walked up to Arianna's door and knocked lightly, hoping she was there.

Arianna answered the door dressed casually; a black, pair of short shorts, a navy blue, V-neck, long-sleeved shirt and black, ballet flats.

"Hello Lenalee," she greeted with a smile.

"Hey, Allen and Bookman just came back from their assignment," Lenalee said.  
"Lavi missed the train, so he had to catch the next one. He'll be a few hours," Lenalee added after seeing the perplexed look on Arianna's face.

"Where is Allen?" Arianna asked.

"He said he was going to the cafeteria then going to his room, I'd check the cafeteria first," she answered with a slight laugh.

"All right, thanks Lenalee, I'll see you later then?" she said closing her door and walking out.

"Okay, see you later," Lenalee said with a small wave.

Arianna made her way to the cafeteria, imagining the pile of food that would be sitting in front of Allen at the table. When she got there though, Allen wasn't there, so she made her way over to Allen' s room, just to welcome him back.

She knocked lightly.

She heard a muffled, "It's unlocked," from the other side of the door, so she opened the door and walked in.

When she walked in, Allen was lying on his bed with a pillow over his face.

"Allen?" she said hesitantly. He lifted the pillow slightly to see who it was.

"Hey Arianna," he said, removing the pillow and sitting up. Arianna walked over and sat next to him.

"Tired?" she said in a soft voice. He nodded.

"We worked hard to get it done this fast," he said with a sigh.

"Get some rest then, you'll feel better," she said stroking his hair, the way a mother would to her child. He smiled and she stood up.  
"I just wanted to see how you were doing, so I'll see you later," she said with a smile. He nodded and she left.

On her walk she was thinking of what to do before Lavi returned, she had already trained that day, and most of the work in the science division was already done.

So she decided to go find Lenalee.

…

Meanwhile at the closest train station. Lavi was just getting off the train, and making his way to the Order.

"If gramps told me the train was leaving I would've left earlier," he grumbled as he walked onto the platform.

He hadn't been flirting with someone; a lady had approached him and asked which train she should take to get somewhere. He was only helping her out.  
"This is going to suck," he added, now travelling alone, by foot, back to the Order.

…

Not long after, Arianna had decided to wait at the underground entrance, for Lavi. Her and Lenalee had sat together in the library for a while, talking about this and that. Lenalee had been asking a lot of questions about Lavi when he was younger and what they used to do together in the short time after they had met.

They both giggled and Lenalee cooed at the cute stories Arianna shared.

It hadn't been long when she heard the sound of someone groaning and the sound of a paddle hitting the water repeatedly.

"Stupid Old Panda, stupid train, stupid boat," she heard a voice say, recognizing it as Lavi by the tone.

She pushed herself off the wall she was leaning against and walked slowly to the edge. She could now see the red-haired exorcist, making his way towards the platform. When he got out of the boat and stood up, he spotted Arianna standing at the platform waiting for him. He smiled and walked over, engulfing her in a hug, resting his head on her shoulder.

"I see you're tired too," Arianna said wrapping her arms around him.

"Yeah," he murmured into her neck. Arianna let go of him and his headband fell to the floor, she smiled and picked it up, then grabbed his hand. Entwining their fingers.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," Arianna said softly, leading him towards the private rooms.

"Can I stay in your room? The old panda gets cranky if I wake him up," he sad in a half asleep voice. Arianna thought it over for a moment.

"Sure," she said, but didn't see Lavi lazily fist pump behind her.  
"Hey, aren't you cold?" he asked, seeing that she was only in shorts and a thin shirt. She stopped but didn't turn around.

"Oh, uh," she stuttered, but before she could protest, Lavi shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.  
"But Lavi-," she started but Lavi cut her off with a light laugh.

"Don't worry about it okay?" he said and leaned over her shoulder and kissing her jaw line. He gave her a lazy smile as she looked at him, then they continued walking.

They were halfway to Arianna's room when Lavi let go of her hand and started leaning on her. She didn't think much of it because he was tired but she didn't really mind, she knew it had been a long day for him.

When they eventually got to her room, Arianna opened the door, lead Lavi in, and shut the door behind them.

"Thanks for letting me stay here Ari," he said, still sounding half asleep. She gave him a sincere smile.

"Any time Lavi, please feel free to take the bed, I'm not really that tired yet," she said and Lavi stepped closer to her, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. Her form stilled, Lavi's headband slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor.

He started walking back towards the bed, pulling Arianna with him, all the while; a seductive and alluring smile grew across his features.

"L- Lavi, w-what're you-" she tried to say but Lavi pulled her a little harder and they fell on the bed, his jacket falling off her shoulders. Arianna was now lying on top of him. The seductive smile never left his face. He brought an arm up and around her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair; the other hand found hers and entwined their fingers. Arianna gasped as Lavi closed the gap between their lips, in a passionate kiss.

…

A/N: Sorry to end it there! Hope you enjoyed reading, please review~!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Chapter nine~!

Remember: If you have any suggestions, I think you already know what to do~!

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters. I only own the rights to Arianna.

Also: I'm sorry if this isn't what you expect from the characters, this is just how it came out of my head…

By the way, the reason this chapter is so short, is because I didn't want to add on to the way it ended, it would ruin the chapter if I did.

Happy reading~! R&R

…

Lavi wasn't quite sure what made him do it. It could have been the lack of sleep, or that he had only then realized, the fast pace of his heart as he laid eyes on Arianna's form or every time she smiled at him.

He knew it was wrong.

Being a bookman, he wasn't allowed to have any personal relationships that would alter his view on significant events in history, he was to be a bystander at all times, a true neutral, to not get emotionally involved, but that didn't mean he couldn't think about them.

He knew he was taking a risk.

Since he saw Arianna last, he couldn't stop thinking about her. She was no longer the delicate little girl he once knew. She was a sexy young woman with a tempting physique and skin that was begging to be kissed and caressed. All he wanted to do was to make Arianna his own, but he shouldn't, and he knew he couldn't.

Maybe, just maybe, he thought, this one night, he could give into the temptation and get it out of his system. That's what he thought.

He was torn between his duty and his feelings, his needs and his wants, his necessities and his job.

But once he started, he wanted more. He couldn't stop, it was like everything he had ever wanted was tangible, he felt alive, he felt warmth, and he felt lust and desire.

His tongue eagerly traced the contour of her bottom lip, but something didn't feel right.

Arianna resisted and tried to pull away, her legs falling either side of his hips as she sat up further, but Lavi was persistent. He followed her as she sat up; he pulled her hand towards him and held the back of her head, keeping the contact. Her hands found his chest and she pushed against him. The lip contact broken. Arianna was now straddling Lavi's hips as he sat up.

He then leant back on his hands, looking at Arianna with hurt in his eyes; he was torn inside.

"Lavi," she said softly, slightly breathless, looking down as if refusing to look at him.  
"You, you can't do this," she said even softer.  
"Please don't take unnecessary chances for me," she added.

"What?" Lavi said shocked and breathless. She looked up to him; their faces were still close, but the atmosphere had changed.

"Lavi, being a Bookman is so important to you, I just-," she tried to explain, but couldn't find the right words.  
"I care for you, I really do, so much, but I can't let you do this to yourself," she said almost sounding like she was about to cry.

"Ari," Lavi breathed and brushed the hair out of her face.

"I know what I'm doing, I want to do this, with you, only you, and I care for you too, Ari," he said pleading with her.

"You can't betray who you are, no matter how much I want this too," she said looking down and Lavi stared wide-eyed.

"Arianna, look at me," he said, grasping her chin lightly, bringing her at eye level.

"We can make this work, Bookman doesn't have to know, no one will know, it will be our secret, nothing will change," he said almost desperately.

"I can't ruin what you've already accomplished as a bookman, I cant be the reason you throw everything away, its too important to you," she reasoned.

"When we are together its just you and me, just Lavi, no Bookman. No one will know," Lavi pleaded.

"One way or another, we will be found out," she said.

"Just tonight then, please just tonight," he said forlornly, lifting a hand to caress her cheek. She brought her own hand up to cradle his.

"Can't we just go back to before this happened?" she asked, a tear falling down her cheek, Lavi brushed it away. He then leant his forehead against hers, and their eyes closed.

"Arianna," he said, his voice breaking as tears of his own were threatening to fall.

Lavi leaned forward and kissed her one last time, her arms wrapped around his neck, while his hands tenderly caressed her thighs, and travelled up further to find her waist again, pulling her closer. He felt her soft skin as his fingertips wandered. Knowing he would never have the chance to be this close to her again. Neither wanting to let go, not wanting the kiss to end, but it had to.

They broke apart. Their lips still hovered over one another's, like there was a magnetic pull.

She wanted to kiss him again, to tell him she loved him, to ask him to stay with her forever, but that sounded juvenile and greedy. She knew how much being a Bookman meant to him, she was being selfish.

Lavi's head fell on her shoulder and Arianna's quiet sobs could be heard. They didn't want the night to end, knowing that it was impossible for them to be together. Lavi wanted to tell her not to cry, but his words would have been empty, because that's how he felt at that moment too. So he allowed her to let her tears flow, a few tears escaping his own eyes as they held each other closer.

They then lay down, Lavi holding Arianna close to him, closer than usual.

He felt like his heart had been ripped out, while the Bookman instincts inside of him were quietly pleased with how things turned out.

Lavi wanted to say she was wrong, that things would work out in the end, but she was right. What chance was there really that their relationship would survive?

He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to murmur sweet nothings to her, he wanted to show her how much he cared for her but life isn't that kind of a creature.

Arianna held him close, knowing things wouldn't be the same, ever again.

This is how it was always meant to be, this was the life they were meant to live, they weren't meant to be anything more.

…

That morning, they parted ways, as nothing more than friends.

…

A/N: Was that not depressing? I almost cried while writing it…

Again sorry for the short length, I felt like it needed to end there…

Please review~! (If you aren't too depressed)


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Chapter ten~!

Remember: If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters.

Also: (You should read this) I just have to say I'm really sorry for the last chapter, a lot of Lavi X OC fan fictions mention that their relationship could be a secret, but I understand the way I wrote it, was really depressing (in a cute way?), I know, like I said, I almost started crying while I was writing it. Usually the OC is all for the relationship, but I went a different way. If I were a reader of this fan fiction I probably would have complained… Oh well…

Happy reading~! R&R

…

The day was grey and dismal, plain and unsightly, no wind, no sun, just grey. Dull and lifeless were the words that came to mind. Nothing had happened, the day felt empty and tedious.

Arianna wandered the halls aimlessly; too many things were on her mind for her to do anything else. She decided she wanted to clear her mind with some intense training. Her feet carried her towards Kanda's room.

She knocked.

Again.

She turned on her heal and ventured to the meditation room, figuring he would be there instead.

She pushed the door open and set her eyes on an empty room.

She closed the door and headed to the cafeteria, knowing that apart from the training room, that's where he would be. As she neared the cafeteria entrance, she heard the voices of Lenalee, Allen and Lavi.

Lavi.

They were laughing. She stopped mid stride and stood still. In a way she was glad, that he was acting as if nothing happened, that was the way it was supposed to be. After all he was a Bookman, he had to act like that anyway. She couldn't help the little ache in her heart because of what could have happened.

She slapped herself roughly and shook her head, trying to steer away all those sorts of thoughts. She continued walking again, reaching the entrance, seeing Kanda at his usual spot closest to the exit. She walked over and leaned against the wall beside him, not making eye contact with anyone in the room.

"I need to train," she said in a low, monotonous voice.

Kanda looked up at her and noticed her expression, though he didn't necessarily care what she was thinking about.

He stood up and walked out, Arianna knew that was his answer, so she followed his trail, obediently. This was all she needed to set her mind straight, and after, she would be able to act as she normally would on any other day, like nothing had happened, like nothing had changed.

When they arrived at the training room, Arianna unsheathed Artemis without any hesitation and activated it.

"Eager are we?" Kanda asked in a cold tone, a ghost of a smirk showing on his face.

She didn't answer, instead, she lunged at him, answering his rhetorical question through her actions. Kanda matched her speed and greater strength.

The training session was intense.

…

Lavi sat in the dining hall of the cafeteria talking with Allen and Lenalee. They were all laughing at some story Lavi had been telling. Lavi's laugh halted when he saw the young woman that had been on his mind all morning, the same young woman that had broken his heart.

Arianna.

He watched her say something softly to Kanda, and then walking off after him. All the while, she didn't look over; she was taking it as bad as he was. Even though he didn't show it, Lavi felt like a lost puppy, but acting was what he was used to doing, it was one of his expertise's, as a Bookman.

A Bookman.

"Lavi are you all right?" Allen asked and Lavi's head snapped in his direction. A cheeky smile masked his true emotions.

"Yeah, just thinking about stuff, no big deal," he answered. His grin was convincing his 'friends' for the moment.

He then proceeded to tell of another encounter he had to take his mind of what was troubling him and try to move on.

…

Both Arianna and Kanda were panting, Arianna had been in a different mind set this time; she was giving it her all, letting it all out until she felt like collapsing.

She had shed off her jacket, the excess material becoming bothersome amidst their swift encounter. Now in her skirt and a tight fitting tank top, she continued to fight. Her scars were visible, the scars left by the burns of the Akuma's whips, they had healed and were now a slightly darker shade than her skin tone.

In spite of that, one wrong move caused her defeat. Kanda stood behind her, an arm over her, with Mugen's blade held against her neck. The cool metal sent a shiver through her form.

She could feel the heat radiating off him as his body brushed up against hers. She liked the feeling, but Kanda wasn't the man she wanted it to be. He spoke monotonously behind her.

"I don't know what made you so eager to fight, but don't let it distract you. It might mean your death," he said, moved away from her and re-sheathed Mugen, turning away to leave.

"Kanda?" she said and he paused.  
"Thank you," she finally said and he then left without saying a word.

Arianna fell to the floor, her innocence deactivating, she laid on her back staring at the ceiling. Her breathing was starting to return to normal. Her black hair was sticking to her neck and her fringe was sticking to her face. She closed her eyes.

She sighed; the training had definitely helped, in its own way.

Once she had rested, she went to her room to take a shower and change. She wore her spare exorcist uniform and then decided to go see if Lavi and the others were still in the cafeteria, to prove that the training had helped.

And everyone was still there, Allen, Lenalee and Lavi. There was a heavy feeling in her heart when her deep blue eyes met the vibrant green of Lavi's. A sincere smile formed on her lips and she walked over. The events of that morning played in her mind.

…

It was dawn; the red and orange hues were lingering in the sky above the wispy clouds. Arianna's eyes opened, she was lying on her side. She felt a strong arm draped over her waist, which she instantly recognized as Lavi's. She couldn't help but feel sorrowful. She did care for him deeply, but she knew that it couldn't be possible; the Bookman code had forbidden any personal relationships.

Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't she have feelings for someone she could eventually be with?

It wasn't fair.

She moved her hand over Lavi's, gently caressing his skin. To her surprise, Lavi responded, he pulled her closer, wordlessly.

They both knew how this would play out.

They would hug, holding each other close.

They would kiss until they were out of breath.

And then, they would swear never to speak of it again.

That was one of the consequences of being a Bookman, that's how it was meant to be.

They were never destined to be more than friends.

Arianna rolled over, so she was facing Lavi. His arm still draped around her waist, their foreheads touched and their eyes closed.

"The sooner we leave, the sooner this will be forgotten and we can move on," Arianna said and as she heard her own words, her heart broke into a million unfathomable pieces. A few tears escaped her closed eyes and her shoulders shook.

"I'll never forget," Lavi whispered faintly, he pulled her closer and brushed her tears away. Her eyes opened and she was met with Lavi's sad smile.  
"Come on, please don't cry, even if we can't be together, we can still be how we were, right?" he said, trying to sound comforting, but sounding more as if he was trying to convince himself.

Footsteps could be heard outside the room as the members of the Black order were waking up.

Lavi sat up and Arianna soon followed. He stood up and pulled her with him, his hands enclosing hers longingly. They walked to the door.

"Its for the best," Arianna said softly, her hand tightening around his.

"Hey," Lavi said, lightly grasping Arianna's chin and angling her head up to face him.  
"It'll just be like before, its not like we can't see each other at all, we just cant get too close," he said, his voice drifting off as his words progressed. Then a wide smile spread across his lips.  
"You think I could get one last kiss?" he asked with a sexy glint in his eye. If it didn't make her the slightest bit happier, it at least made her smile.

Same old Lavi.

Their lips connected in a sweet kiss, their arms wrapping around one another lightly. The kiss prolonged until the breaking point.

Then they separated.

Lavi took a big breath and opened the door.

Then he left, no words were spoken, just two words replaying in both of their minds.

Just friends.

…

She snapped out of her daze as Lavi asked her a question.

"How was training this morning?" he asked. Arianna looked at him perplexed.  
"That is where you went with Yu this morning, right?" he emphasized. She blinked.

Of course he knew. A Bookman would have put the pieces together.

"Oh, yes," she said with a slight pause.  
"It was brutal," she said rubbing her aching muscles along her neck and shoulder.

"Maybe I could give you a massage?" Lavi asked and a sparkle appeared in his eye.  
"If you're lucky I could make it a full body massage," he said, his eye turning heart shaped.

Everyone just laughed.

Maybe they could make it through this after all.

…

A/N: Just a little flashback to add to the feel of their situation.

I think I might die of angst-ness and depression after the past few chapters, just saying…

Oh, did any of you realize that in chapter nine, when Lavi says, "Stupid Old Panda, stupid train, stupid boat," he's actually mimicking Sokka in the episode 'Nightmares and Daydreams' when he had to climb the cliff? Sokka says, "Stupid Avatar, stupid dream, stupid cliff!"

Just thought you should know if you didn't see it

And in chapter 7 when Lavi whispers, "run," I had a Doctor Who fan girl moment …

Any way, please review my lovely readers~!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Chapter eleven~!

Oh my gosh~! Chapter eleven already! And thank you so much for the reviews!

Remember: If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to send me a PM or in a review.

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters. All rights go to the amazing Katsura Hoshino.

Happy reading~! R&R

…

The sun had shown itself from behind the grey clouds and the atmosphere at the order had lightened from its somewhat solemn and depressed feeling. The soft rustling of the tree's leaves were heard as a light breeze passed through them outside. The temperature was still cool, but the sun was making the weather seem less threatening.

Arianna was walking through the halls, feeling happy to some extent. A smile lingered on her lips as her mind replayed the smile Lavi had directed at her.

This could work after all.

"Arianna~!" At the sound of her name, Arianna spun around, now alert. She was met with the bright and cheerful face of Lenalee.

"Lenalee," she said with a happy smile on her face.

"Komui would like to see you in his office. Seems you have a new assignment," she said, grasping Arianna's shoulders and steering her in the direction of her brother's office.

"Thank you Lenalee," she said she said looking back at her, as they got to the large (oak?) door of Komui's office.

"Any time Arianna. Good luck," she said waving and walking away.

Arianna opened the door and walked in, finding a few papers still on the floor and more paper work piled on his desk. And she had thought that she had at least made him clean up a little.

She sweat-dropped.

"Ah~! Arianna, do come in," Komui said gesturing to the couch in front of his desk. Someone was already sitting there though; she would recognize that perfectly cut, shiny midnight blue hair, anywhere.

She walked over and sat down obediently beside the stoic swordsman.

"You two seem to be getting along so well I thought this would be perfect for you~!" Komui said, Kanda and Arianna glanced at each other briefly out of the corner of their eyes. Then Komui straightened out his glasses, his tone of voice then became serious.  
"Have you ever heard of the Cauld Lad of Hylton Castle?" he asked, leaning against his desk.

Both Kanda and Arianna shook their heads.

"The legend states that a stable boy working at the Hylton Castle was caught courting Baron Hylton's daughter, and was killed." Komui said, then explained further.  
"The enraged baron was said to have either decapitated the boy, hit the boy on the back of the head with a riding crop, striking a spot that had been injured (and weakened) the day before, causing a fatal blow or he had stabbed him with a nearby pitchfork." He explained and Arianna felt a chill go down her spine.  
"He was then reported to have disposed of the body in a deep pond, or an unused well." He clarified and croaked his throat, for his explanation wasn't finished.  
"Several months later, the body was recovered. The baron was tried for Skelton's murder, but had an alibi. An old farm worker stated that the baron had ordered the boy to remove a tool from the top shelf in the barn, and the boy had fallen, seriously wounding himself in the process. The baron had tended to the wounds, but the boy had died. It is on record that Robert Hylton, 13th Baron Hylton was pardoned in 1609." He said.

"That's horrible," Arianna said, looking into her lap, then Komui continued.

"Well, soon afterwards, strange events began to occur in the castle. The kitchen would be tidied at night if left in a mess, or messed up if left tidy. An unseen person would take hot ashes from the fires, and lie on them, leaving an imprint of a body. Chamber pots were emptied on the floor.

After a while, a cook stayed up until midnight to see who was causing the mischief. He saw the ghost of a young man, and heard him crying 'I'm cauld' ('I'm cold' in English). The cook and his wife left a warm cloak for the ghost, and the next night they heard, _'Here's a cloak and here's a hood, the Cauld Lad of Hylton will do no more good.'_ The ghost disappeared and the strange occurrences ceased, though even now people claim to have heard the ghostly cries of the Cauld Lad." Komui finished explaining.

Arianna was frozen in her spot; she was a little frightened to say the least.

"Lately there have been complaints of Akuma hanging about the area of the Hylton Castle and cries have been heard from the manor itself. We at the order believe that the Earl is convinced innocence is involved," he clarified.

"So, there might be innocence inside the castle?" Arianna asked, more to herself than anyone else.

"That's what you're going to find out," Komui said, then added.  
"You leave for Sunderland, Northern England, by train tonight. The best of luck to you both," he said with a calm and informative tone of voice.

Kanda simply nodded and left. Arianna nodded too and left soon after her comrade.

It may have seemed like Kanda and Arianna were getting along, but to Arianna, it felt as if she was 'just being tolerated'. Arianna had gotten used to training with Kanda, but Kanda had gotten frustrated that it had to be _his_ job to train her.

It was only going to be a few hours on the train, and then they would arrive at their motel by horse and carriage.

…

Lavi was in the lounge pretending to study but in reality he was off in his own little world. He was relieved that Arianna could smile around him again, but he just had a persisting feeling that it wasn't enough for him. He wanted more, even though he knew he shouldn't. He wanted to do something, even though he knew he couldn't.

He shook his head violently, trying to get the unwanted thoughts out of his head.

"I want those reports done by tomorrow morning," Bookman said as he walked past the entrance to the lounge. Lavi sat up promptly; startled by the order he was given. When there was no sign left of Bookman, Lavi slumped back down onto the couch; he didn't feel like working. He felt like doing something fun, but he couldn't think of anything that wasn't prohibited as a Bookman.

"I see you're working hard there, Lavi," he heard a soft sweet voice say, then a light giggle. Lavi looked up at the sound of the voice and saw Arianna leaning against the doorway. He instantly smiled; she returned the smile and walked over to where he was sitting.  
"Sorry," Lavi said sounding flustered as he cleared the lounge of paperwork so she could sit down. She sat with her feet folded underneath her, facing him.

Lavi noticed from the moment Arianna sat down, that she was nervous.

_Was it because she was around him?_

She had seemed fine when they were all talking, not too long ago. She even smiled; he thought everything was fine between them.

_Was it because they were alone together?_

Arianna felt his eyes on her and looked up at him.

"It's not what you're thinking," she said with a reassuring smile.  
"I'm just nervous about my first assignment since the-," she explained but was interrupted by Lavi's warm chuckle. He moved a hand over hers.

"You'll be fine, are you going with anyone?" he asked and took his hand back.

"Yes, I'm going with Kanda," she clarified and Lavi chuckled again.

"He actually seems to like you, which is more than I can say about myself," Lavi said, his voice laced with playfulness. Arianna laughed.

"Maybe if you didn't annoy him from time to time, he could stand to be around you," she reasoned.

"I can't help it, its become second nature to me," he said and they both laughed.  
"When do you leave?" Lavi asked seriously.

"Tonight," she answered straightforwardly.

"That soon?" Lavi asked sounding disappointed, Arianna simply nodded. Then Arianna felt Lavi's arms wrap around her mid section.  
"No~!" He cooed, snuggling into her, making her laugh. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tenderly stroked his hair, a smile lingering on her lips.

"I'll be back soon," she said when he loosened his grip around her, his hands finding her hips. She didn't seem to mind.

"But you're going with Yu! What if he tries to rape you?!" he asked, feigning concern. Arianna laughed.

"I don't think that's an issue, he doesn't seem like that kind of man," she reasoned.

"That's the kind of thinking that he will take advantage of!" Lavi then blurted, continuing his humorous façade.

"You could stop now," she said, a blush forming across her features. Then Lavi chuckled.

"You look so cute~!" he said and kissed her cheek. Lavi heard a sharp intake of breath as Arianna's eyes widened momentarily.

_It must be hard for her to know. _

He croaked his throat awkwardly and moved away from her.

"Sorry," he whispered softly to her.

_To know that this can't happen. _

"It's fine," she said, her eyes fell to land on her lap. Her head fell on his shoulder, silently.

_To know that she has to move on, to find someone else._

Lavi leant his head on top of hers. Sighing deeply.

_That was and is, the law of the Bookman. _

…

It was night, the stars visible outside the window of the fast moving train. Arianna sat opposite Kanda in a reserved cabin, gazing up at the unending night sky, on a train headed towards Northern England. The night was frigid, the sky clear and the moon almost absent from the sea of transcendent blue. The stars seemed dull, as if the intensity had been turned down ever so slightly.

"You should sleep," a deep masculine voice brought Arianna out of her stupor. Kanda continued.  
"It will be a few more hours until our stop over, you should get your rest now," he reiterated.

"You should too," she said, her voice soft and calm, with a gentle smile.

She could have sworn she saw a ghost of a smile flash over Kanda's face, which was there and gone in under a second.

Arianna looked to her bag, they lay beside her on the chair. She found her scarf, wrapped it around her neck, and closed her eyes. Trying to get a few hours of sleep, before the real journey began.

…

Lavi was in the library, in the early hours of the morning. He felt strange, and he had a feeling it had to do with a certain bodacious, raven-haired exorcist. It was one thing that he wasn't allowed to be intimate with her, but not being able to see her at all? That's what set him over the edge. He felt hopeless, but was frustrated with himself for not being able to forget about it. He had done it before, so why not now, why not when they had left her the first time?

_He now knows what he could have, right at this moment._

This time, he knew what they could have been doing; they could be holding each other, in a passionate embrace. At this time, they would be sleeping, in his bed, an arm wrapped around her as she laid a head on his bare chest.

He shook his head roughly.

She would be happier with a man that was allowed to love her back, someone she could publicly show affection with, even Kanda. He'd be able to protect her if she needed it, and he wouldn't have to think about the consequences.

He shook his head again.

He knew he wasn't getting any sleep tonight.

…

A/N: Hmmm any ideas on the story so far?  
Any way, hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review and tell if I can improve in any way~!

The next couple of chapters will mostly be about Arianna and Kanda's assignment, with minor Lavi parts.

Please Review and thank you so much for reading~!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Chapter twelve~!

Sorry for the temporary hiatus! Year twelve is really taking a toll on my spare time, and me, so these chapters will be updated sparsely, sorry!

Remember: If you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to message, I'd really love to hear from you!

Disclaimer: I have never, nor will I ever, own D-Gray Man or any of its characters.

**Just to clarify: Yes, this is a LaviXOC fan fiction.**

Happy reading~! R&R

…

The train rocked lightly from side to side as its speed slowed. The early hours of dawn were approaching. Arianna woke up from the sound of light knocking, she found herself in the same position she had fallen asleep in. She sat up and stretched, arching her back, then stood up. She then opened the door to come face to face with their finder.

"Just one more stop and we'll need to get off Miss Lockhart," he had said and bowed.

"Thank you very much," she said back and shut the door, turning around. She glanced over at Kanda; he had a peaceful look on his face. His eyes were lightly shut, and his features relaxed, his lips were parted ever so slightly.

Knowing that their stop was coming up, she had to somehow wake him, without annoying him.

Her motherly instincts took over momentarily as she went over and sat next to him.

"Kanda, you have to wake up now," she said softly as she brought a hand up to his face, stroking his cheek, the way a mother would to her child.

He stirred a little, then his eyes opened.

"Next stop, we get off," Arianna added, after he stopped blinking.

"Thanks," he muttered, looking away.

Arianna went back over to her seat and went through her bag, searching for a mirror. When she found it, she rested it on the windowsill, checking to see if she had any indentations on her face and to check if her hair looked presentable. She did minor touch ups and put her mirror away, then spotted her scarf on the floor.

The very thought of a scarf reminded her of Lavi, his cheerful attitude, his charming smile and sweet personality.

A hand on her head brought her out of her thoughts.

"Don't zone out, we're here," Kanda's resonant voice had spoken. She looked up at him, perplexed. He removed his hand and opened the cabin door. Arianna shook her head, picked up the scarf, and followed after him.

As they were riding in a wagon to their inn, the finder explained what had been happening and what the best course of action was.

"The best thing to do would be to look around the castle during the day first and ask any villagers if they have noticed anything strange." The finder said, both Kanda and Arianna nodded.  
"They say that the most activity happens at night, so you should head back to the castle at around six, just as it's getting dark." He explained further.

"Are the rumors true, do you know?" Arianna asked the finder. He looked to her.  
"Does the boy really appear?" she clarified.

"Its possible if innocence is involved. I have heard from other finders that they have seen him wondering about the castle at all hours of the night, but I haven't seen him first hand," he answered. Arianna stayed quiet for the rest of the trip until they got to the inn.

…

Arianna had just got all of her things ready in her room when there was a knock at the door.

"We're moving out," Kanda's voice was heard through the door.  
"I'm going to the castle, go ask around town and meet up with me at the castle in a few hours," he ordered.

"Alright," Arianna said straightforwardly. She didn't hear anything after that. So she wrapped her scarf around her neck and walked out into the town, ready to ask about The Cauld Lad of Hylton.

…

As Arianna walked through the town, she heard the dulled whispers of the villagers. She had knocked on a few doors and asked about odd occurrences; anything that happened that couldn't be explained or what they know about the curse of Hylton Castle. Most of them shut the door in her face, either scared or not bothered by 'such nonsense'.

She sighed as she followed the path to the castle. Its location was just on the outskirts of Sunderland. The building was made out of dark brick, looking like it would have existed in the era of knights and cavalries. The front face of the building was flat, with four deteriorating pillars, equally placed along the front. There were cast iron gates, reaching high, that surrounded the property. The building was large and unnerving. Arianna was glad it was the middle of the day, but she wasn't quite looking forward to that night.

She pushed through the iron gates and continued up to the front door of the castle. The whole area gave off a similar feeling to that of seeing the European Branch of the Black Order for the first time.

"Kanda?" she called as she opened the door. Then the stoic swordsman appeared from out of one of the rooms, walking towards her.

"Nothing happens during the day, there's no use until dark," he said walking past her and out the door. She followed after him.  
"Did you find anything out fro the villagers?" he asked, facing straight ahead.

"They weren't particularly helpful, most of the towns people didn't want anything to do with it," she answered and Kanda huffed.  
"We're just going to have to look over the information Chief Komui gave us and return later tonight," she said and glanced back at the eerie looking castle.

When she looked back though, she saw a figure in one of the upstairs windows. She instinctively grabbed onto the nearest person to her, who happened to be the already slightly aggravated, Kanda. She had lightly grasped his hand, the way she would if it were Lavi.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a monotonous voice, an eyebrow raised. His abrupt tone made her flinch and let go of him. She glanced back at the house and the figure was gone.

"Sorry, it was nothing," she replied, looking straight ahead, hurriedly anticipating the completion of this assignment.  
"It was nothing," she repeated, in a low whisper.

…

The hours of day went by in a flash, the time of dusk quickly approaching. Arianna made sure she had Artemis in its holster on her thigh, hidden beneath her skirt. Kanda had informed the finders to stay posted around the castle if anything were to happen.

Arianna pulled her scarf tighter as Kanda and herself made their way back to the 'haunted' castle of Hylton.

The cast iron gates felt like frostbite was taking over at first touch, causing Arianna to wince. They hastily made their way toward the door, no sign of Akuma thus far.

When they walked inside, Kanda walked off, leaving Arianna alone, in the foyer of the building. A chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, coated with webs and dust. The intricate design hard to distinguish in the poor lighting.

She lit a small carrying lamp so she could see the features of the house. She started walking in the opposite direction of Kanda, at a hesitant pace.

_You're an Exorcist._

Those words echoed in her mind as she examined her actions, she should be more assertive. This was what she was here to do.

It wasn't like she hadn't been on a mission before, but it _was_ her first after a severe incident, and that had made her nervous.

_What if her reflexes were off?_

_What if she didn't have the strength to fight off an Akuma?_

What if she wasn't confident enough to make the right decisions in battle?

She continued on, more confident, but the fear still lingered in the pit of her subconscious.

She studied the rooms of the bottom floor and saw nothing that seemed of concern or out of the ordinary, so she thought it would be best if she looked upstairs as well. She then made her way up the unstable looking stairs to the nest level of the castle. The stairs were made of stone, the same stone as the outer layer of the castle, they were cracked and crumbling.

There were portraits of previous tenants hung on the walls, portrayed as royalty, presented in their nicest clothing, for their faces would be forever captured in paint on canvas, for as long as the house is still standing. Their expressions were bleak and emotionless. In each painting they held the same expressions, cold, distant, hard.

She came to a halt at the end of a hallway. This painting was different from the rest. There was a young man, no older than herself, standing next to a beautiful young woman around the same age.

The young man was unlike the others. His face didn't show hard angles, his nose not upturned, his expression was sincere and his honey coloured eyes were cheerful and lit up with joy. He wore simple clothes, resembling that of a worker, whereas the woman beside him, short, cropped hair and a sweet face, was in a long formal Victorian style dress, but held the same emotion in her eyes.

"The Stable Boy and the Baron's daughter," Arianna whispered in astonishment.

They looked so _happy_.

"They look perfect together," she whispered, her barely audible voice filled with sorrow.

"Too right you are miss," A voice said over her shoulder, but she could feel no breath on her skin, nor the presence of another. She turned curiously.

Her eyes widened as what she saw sunk in.

But the figure only smiled sweetly at her.

His eyes were that of honey and his unkempt chin length hair was dark.

It was like her feet were encased in stone, for she couldn't move an inch. She believed her eyes were deceiving her, but he was there, standing right beside her.

_The stable boy._

Her eyes widened in realisation.

"Sorry I startled you," he said, genuinely concerned. The level of fear she had only somewhat subsided.  
"I'm Skelton," he introduced.

_Why would he be here?_

"Uh, I'm Arianna," she said back to him, his actions startling her a little.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Arianna." He said with a kind smile.  
"It's not common for someone of such beauty to venture inside Hylton castle by herself," he said circling around her, eyeing the way she stood.

"I'm here on assignment," she answered softly.

She heard explosions up above.

_Akuma?_

Her whole form stiffened.

"Assignment?" he said questioningly, as if he didn't hear the explosions at all. He looked down at her uniform and his eyes widened when he saw the silver cross emblem imbedded in her coat.  
"You're an exorcist?" he asked, his eyes wide with horror. She turned to nod but when she saw the look of shear panic and dread in his widened eyes, she found that she couldn't.

"I-," was all she could say. He looked so scared. His face that seemed so used to sporting a cheeky grin and his eyes that seemed familiar with happiness were now running cold. She almost had the urge to hug him.

"No," he said quietly, staring into her eyes. His expression made her want to fall to the floor and cry.  
"No," he repeated softer, and he stepped back, his figure faded until he was no longer standing before her. He must have retreated.

Her mind couldn't help but race through millions of questions.

Mainly though,

_How did he know about exorcists?_

More explosions brought her out of her world and pulled her back into reality. She ran down the stairs and ran outside. She looked up to see Kanda slashing at several Akuma that were surrounding the house.

…

A/N: ***GASP*** No Lavi in this chapter!

The next one should wrap up their mission and we'll get to see more Lavi. (Yay~!)

I really would have liked to stick with the "two week update" thing, but year twelve has really gotten in the way and especially since Basketball training has taken up most of my spare time (apart from homework) but I will update as soon as I can!

**Thank you for reading, please review~!**


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